Cylinder-cock and steam-chest relief-valve.



J. R. MQGUMBER & T. e. FULGHER. CYLINDER GOGK AND STEAM CHEST RELIEFVALVE. APPLICATION PILED'AUG. 21, 1912.

1 06 3 1 64 Patented May 27, 1913.

c/amea E fl zmwer Hid/m5 iFzzZo/wr COLUMBIA PLANduRAyH CO., WASHINGTON.D. c.

nuanion.

JAMES R. MQCUMBER AND THOMAS- G. FULCHER, OF P3INCETON, WEST VIRGINIA.

CYLINDER-COCK AND STEAM-CHEST RELIEF-VALVE.

oca es.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES R. MCCUM- BER andTHOMAS G. FULGHER, citizens of the United States, residing at Princeton,in the county of Mercer and State of West- Virginia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Cylinder- Cocks and Steam-ChestRelief-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to valves and more particularly to the class ofautomatic relief valves for use on steam engines, marine engines,locomotives, pumps or the like.

The primary object of the invent-ion is the provision of a valve of thischaracter wherein on the closing of the throttle the fluid containedwithin a steam chest or cylinder will be instantly discharged to theatmosphere thereby obviating the possibility of the bursting of the headof the cylinder or otherwise distortion of the cooperative partsthereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve of thischaracter wherein 011 the opening of the throttle the steam entering thepiston cylinder of a locomotive or the like engine will effect theautomatic closing of the valve thereby preventing the escape of steamfrom said cylinder, thus sustaining the requisite steam pressure thereinfor the working of its piston, the valve being under manual control whenclosed under the action of steam pressure whereby it may be openedshould the occasion require without operating the throttle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a valve in which asingle movable part is employed so that there will be no possibility ofthe said valve becoming ineffective and which will avoid the necessityof the cleaning of the valve or require close attention thereto.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a valve ofthis character which is simple in construction, possesses few partsthereby assuring accuracy and positiveness in its operation as well assufficiency and reliability and which is inexpensive in manufacture, thevalve being readily mounted on a steam cylinder at any point thereof andmay be supported in any position desired without possibility ofrendering it ineffective in operation.

A still further object of the invention is Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 21, 1912.

Patented May 27,1913.

Serial No. 716,273.

the provision of a valve of this character in which the accumulation ofwater within a. steam cylinder will be avoided as the valve willautomatically operate to discharge the water to the atmosphere from thecylinder.

Other objects will be in partobvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be asexemplified in the construction herein after set forth, and the scope ofthe appli cation of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of asingle expansion cylinder steam chest and attachment with the reliefvalve constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto, thelatter being shown at side elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticallongitudinal sectional view through one of the relief valves.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawings by numerals 5 indicates generally the cylinder6 the front head 7 and the back head 8 the steam chest 11 and 12 and 13the slide Valve and piston respectively adapted to work within the steamchest and cylinder of the single expansion type for use on thelocomotive. The single expansion cylinder and its steam chest form nopart of the present invention but are shown merely for the purpose ofillustrating the application of and the manner of operation of theautomatic relief valve hereinafter described.

Adapted to be mounted upon the front and back heads 6 and 7 of thecylinder 5 are relief valves and for the sake of brevity only one of thesame will be hereinafter fully described. Each relief valve comprises acylinder shell or casing 14 provided at one end with a reduced orcontracted nipple 15 the same being threaded for the mounting of thesaid shell or casing 14: upon the front or back cylinder head while theopposite open end of the shell or casing 14 is formed with interiorlythreads 16 in which is detachably engaged a removable cap 17 designed toclose the said open end of the shell or casing and will permit access tobe had to the interior thereof when desired.

Formed interiorly of the shell or casing 1 1 forwardly of the reducednipple 15 are spaced annular flanges or webs 18 and 19 providingtherebetween an escape chamber 20, the same communicating with theatmosphere through a discharge port 21 formed in one side of the shellor casing 14. The web or flange 18 is formed with a central guideopening 22 alining with a central opening 23 formed in the web or flange19 and this latter opening 23 has its wall provided with a valve seat 2%in which is adapted to engage the beveled valve end 25 of a slidablepiston 26, the latter working through the side opening 22 so as tocontrol the opening 23 whereby connection will be closed between thenipple 15 and the chamber 20 or communication may be had therebetweenfor a purpose presently described.

The cap 17 is formed in its inner face with a recess or pocket 27 inwhich works the outer end of the piston '26 which is formed with acentral inwardly tapering port or passage 28 opening through oppositeends thereof and serves as asteam vent for admitting steam fluid to therecess or pocket 27 from the cylinder 5 so that the steam fluid will actupon the outer end of the piston 26 for forcing it inwardly and therebybringing the beveled valve end 25 into engagement with the seat '24:thus shutting off communication between the cylinder 5 and the-chamber20, the piston 26 being normallyacted upon by means of a coiledexpansion spring 28 which surrounds the said piston and has one endresting against the flange or web 18 While its opposite end restsagainst a laterally extending annular flange 29 formed on the piston 26,the said flange 29 being designed as a steam head and adapted to abutagainst the inner face of the cap 17 when the piston 26 is movedoutwardly under the action of a spring 28 surrounding the same.

Provided in one side of the shell or casing 14: is an inlet port 30 towhich is adapted to be connected a fluid supply pipe which is adapted todeliver fluid into the shell or casing between the flanges 18 and 29 onthe casing and piston respectively so that the said piston 26 can beacted upon when under steam'pressure so as to bring the valve end 25'toopen position against the resistance of steam pressure acting upon thesaid piston thereby opening the valve for permitting the escape of fluidpressure within the cylinder 5 through the chamber 20 and port 21 to theatmosphere.

In the operation of the relief valve when the throttle of the locomotiveis closed the piston 26 under the action of the spring 28 will befastened thereby retracting the valve end 25 of the same from the seat24: thus establishing communication between the cylinder 5 and thechamber 20 so that fluid such as water or steam contained within thesaid cylinder 5 will escape therefrom through the port 21 to theatmosphere so that in this manner all possibility of the bursting of thefront and back heads 6 and 7 of the cylinder 5 will be avoided. Now onthe opening of the throttle a portion of the steam entering the cylinder5 will be conveyed through the opening 23 in the valve shell or casing14 thence through the port or passage 28 onto the recess or pocket 27when it will act upon the outer end of the piston 26 against attentionof the spring 28 V causing the piston to move inwardly in the directionof the valve seat 2st and as the steam expands the same will act againstthe end engaged in the pocket 27 thus causing the positive seating ofthe valve end 25 in the valve seat 21 thereby closing the said valve andshutting ofl communication between the cylinder 5 and the chamber 20 soas to prevent any possibility of the escape of steam pressure within thecylinder while the throttle is open. Should it be desired to open therelief valve during the existence of steam pressure within the cylinderit is only necessary to admit fluid through the port 30 into the shellor casing 1 1 so that the fluid will act upon the flange 29 or thepiston 26 causing the latter to move outw'ardly thereby retracting thevalve end 25 of the same fro-nithe seat 24 so that steam may pass fromthe cylinder 5 through the chamber '20 and port 21 to the atmospherethus reducing the steam pressure within the cylinder, the supply offluid admitted through the port '30 will be manually controlled in anydesirable manner.

It will be apparent that the accumulation of water within the cylinderof other fluid when the throttle is closed is obviated therebyovercoming the possibility of the bursting of the cylinder head orotherwise damage to its cooperative parts.

The shell or casing 1 1 and diametrically opposite sides is providedwith steam-escape vents 31 which permits the escape of excessive steamwhen acting upon the piston 26 within the shell or casing of the valve.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation ofthe invention will be clearly understood and therefore a more extendedexplanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is 1. In an automatic relief valve, the combination witha casing adapted to be connected to a steam cylinder and havingindependent fluid pressure and outlet chambers, a floating pistonarranged within'the casing, a cap detachably engaged in and closing oneend of the casing and having a pocket receiving one end of the piston, aseat formed on the casing and receiving the other end of the piston, andresilient means normally holding the piston unseated.

2. In an automatic relief valve, the combination with a casing adaptedto be connected to a steam cylinder and having independent fluidpressure and outlet chambers, a floating piston arranged within theeasing, a cap detachably engaged in and closing one end of the casingand having a pocket receiving one end of the piston, a seat formed onthe casing and receiving the other end of the piston, resilient meansnormally holding the piston 'unseated, and means for admitting fluid tothe pressure chamber.

3. In an automatic relief valve, the combination with a casing adaptedto be connected to a steam cylinder and having independent fluidpressure and outlet chambers, a floating piston arranged within thecasing, a cap detachably enga ed in and closing one end of the casingand having-a pocket receiving one end of the piston, a seat formed onthe casing and receiving the other end of the piston, resilient meansnormally holding the piston unseated, means for admit-ting fluid to thepressure chamber, the said piston being provided with a fluid passageopening through opposite ends thereof for permitting fluid to pass fromthe said steam cylinder into the pocket for the seating of the saidpiston and automatically shutting off communication between the saidsteam cylinder and the outlet chamber.

4:. In an automatic relief valve, the combination with a casing adaptedto be connected to a steam cylinder and having independent fluidpressure and outlet chambers, a floating piston arranged within thecasing, a cap detachably engaged in and closing one end of the casingand having a pocket receiving one end of the piston, a seat formed onthe casing and receiving the other end of the piston, resilient meansnormally holding the piston unseated, means for admitting fluid to thepressure chamber, the said piston being provided with a fluid passageopening through opposite ends thereof for permitting fluid to pass fromthe said steam cylinder into the pocket for the seating of the saidpiston and automatically shutting off communication between the saidsteam clyinder and the outlet chamber, and a fluid head formed on thepiston and working within the pressure chamber.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES R. MCCUMBER. THOMAS G. FULGHER. lVitnesses E. EDMoNs'roN, Jr., K.DELABAR.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

